


Summertime Roses

by Nonnie_Nonnie



Series: Summertime Roses [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Smut, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-30
Updated: 2015-07-09
Packaged: 2018-04-02 01:57:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4041292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nonnie_Nonnie/pseuds/Nonnie_Nonnie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur is the youngest in a family of extremely wealthy aristocrats, living in a large manor just outside of London. His life of high expectations and immense stress seems to lessen with the presence of the new hot gardener that shows him how to live life on your own accord.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Meeting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Choclet-Chip](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Choclet-Chip).



Summertime is always the best time of year, at least in Arthur’s perspective. Sure, it was hot and teenagers were let loose, but summer meant a break from all the stresses of university. At least for a short while, Arthur had this time of peace.

As he awoke and breakfast was brought to him, his phone began to ring. His mother. With a groan he picked up the call and forced a smile onto his face.

“Good morning mum, how was your flight to Monaco?”

“Good morning, it went splendidly dear. We have just arrived at our hotel and are getting ready to start our day. I’m so sorry to call you at this hour, but there is something you must know.”

Arthur’s brow furrowed in confusion and slight worry, his mother typically was one to tell Arthur information in person. “What is it mum?”

“Well you see, considering Antonio’s recent actions, we have been forced to replace him. We have hired a new gardener, he is ten times stronger than Antonio and is even more determined to keep this job. I just wanted you to know before you go to the garden to read, I know how much you like it there.”

 _“Ah yes, of course.”_ Arthur thought. Antonio was planning to kidnap Arthur’s parents and hold them for ransom, but one of his older brothers overheard Antonio talking to a colleague over the phone and reported him to police. After that, the garden has gone unattended to for weeks.

“Thank you mum. Are you sure you’ll be alright over there? Three months is a long time.”

“Of course! Your father and I haven’t had any private vacations since your oldest brother was born, and now that we feel as though you’re responsible enough to watch over the manor, we thought it was about time.”

 _“You didn’t have to wait until I was in college to leave me alone, I’m perfectly capable of running the house myself.”_ These thoughts often ran through Arthur’s mind, and although he wanted to speak his opinion, he merely bit his tongue and said “Of course mum. Have a wonderful time, I love you.”

“I love you too Arthur, good luck with the manor.”

And with that Arthur began his day.

 

* * *

 

 

His daily routine home alone was almost identical to his routine with his family, without all the screaming and his father breathing down his neck. Arthur’s father was one of pride, as he founded the world-known ‘Kirkland Interiors’, an interior design company that specializes in design and furniture. With four older brothers already married and successful, Arthur has always had this immense weight of growing as prosperous as his brothers planted on his shoulders. It also didn’t help that his oldest and favorite brother, Allistor, grew up to become the family screw-up. Arthur couldn’t remember a day when he wasn’t compared to Allistor, always being told “I already have one son that grew up to be a disappointment, I won’t tolerate another.” Allistor had a heart of gold and a passion for music, which is what led him to pursue a career in music rather than business. Allistor had been the only brother in Arthur’s family that wouldn’t torment him on a daily basis, and some of the best of Arthur’s childhood memories were simple times of him listen to his older brother play the violin or piano for hours on end. Allistor was even the first person he came out to, and he was extremely accepting.

Thinking of his brother with fondness, Arthur grabbed his favorite childhood book from his desk and began to make his way towards the garden. His manor was just outside of London, close enough to get to the city with ease but far enough to avoid the typical traffic jams and noisiness of the city. It was huge, with a grand ballroom, eight bedrooms, two study rooms, a large library and kitchen, a lovely dining hall, and a gigantic courtyard. Within this courtyard was Arthur’s most beloved place, the garden. It had not been tended to in a few weeks, so a multitude of weeds and runaway vines spread along the edges of it, but Arthur didn’t care. As he walked out the door and onto the cobblestone path leading to the gazebo, he felt at ease.

There were three cobblestone paths, all branching from a large pool in the center of the garden. One started ended at the house, another into the woods behind the house, and the final leading to the guest house right next to the manor. Roses, forget-me-nots, irises, freesias, and chrysanthemums surrounded the cobblestone paths, and willow trees were speckled all over the place. With a hum of satisfaction, Arthur made his way to the gazebo, which was particularly surrounded by bright red roses and blessed with the shade of the largest willow tree in the garden. It was about seven thirty in the morning, so most of the servants were not working yet, so the mansion was for the most part soundless and still. As he sat down and began to read, he thought to himself “ _Finally, a time of quiet and peace for once. I could get used to this-”_

His cheerful thoughts and nostalgic reading were quickly cut-off by the sound of a bulky crash, followed by someone screaming “OH SHIT!”

Arthur jumped at the sudden sound, and decided to investigate. As he left the gazebo and made his way towards the noise, the words “shit shit, shit!” being muttered over and over grew louder. As he stopped and finally saw what made the noise, his body froze and tensed up in a way that he has never experienced. Before him was a man he had never seen before. Muscular, blonde, and kneeling on the ground attempting to salvage the pieces of a shattered ceramic pot. He knew he should’ve said something, as the latter was unaware of his presence, but he couldn’t stop himself from staring at the man before him. His powerful muscles were practically bulging from his skin-tight black t-shirt, his cargo shorts tight and pockets packed to the brim with what looked like tools and flower seeds.

 ~~ _“Christ his gluteus look amazing in those”_~~  

As the man picked up the final piece of the scattered pot, he turned around and saw Arthur standing behind him. An expression of panic and distress contorted his movements as he scrambled to his feet to properly greet the landlord of the house.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry Mr. Kirkland! I was trying to move these pots of aloe vera closer to the front door, but I made a terrible mistake and tried to carry three at the same time! I knew it was dumb, but I thought I could carry them all! I didn’t mean for the pot to break, I promise I’ll pay for everything!”

The man’s words of request for forgiveness were blurred in Arthur’s mind, as all he could do was stand awe-struck before the man. “ _Oh my god._ _He’s lovely._ ” were the only words that could form in Arthur’s head. He had golden, somewhat-curly hair that was attempting to stay neat but flew in every other direction. His face was childish, yet still held a strikingly sharp and masculine jawline. His cheeks red with embarrassment and lips small and round as they formed words of apology. His eyes sparkled with innocence, even though at the moment they seemed to be on the brink of tears. Arthur saw this and decided to say something.

“I. Um, I don’t understand why you think you’d be able to carry three at the same time, but it’s alright, really. Please don’t get upset.”

The man looked at Arthur through foggy eyes, obviously holding back the urge to burst out crying.

“A-are you sure? Please don’t fire me, I know it’s my first day and I’ve already made a mistake, but I can fix it, I promise!”

“Alright alright, calm down. First of all, I am not going to fire you. Second of all, I feel as though we need a proper introduction.” Arthur reached his hand out shake the others, a soft smile spreading across his face in an attempt to calm the man down. “My name is Arthur Kirkland. You must be the new horticulturist, yes?”

The man took Arthur’s hand in a forceful grip, and shook it with more power than Arthur expected. “Yes sir, my name is Alfred, Alfred Jones.”

Alfred. The name rolled off the tongue quite nicely.

“So please educate me, why on earth are you rushing to get your work done so quickly?”

“Well sir, that’s kind of a long story.”

Arthur was intrigues by this and said “Well, I have nothing better to do. Why don’t you sit down and tell me?”

And with that, Alfred and Arthur make their way to the gazebo and Alfred begins to tell his life story.

 

* * *

 

 

The following few hours were filled with smiles and sympathy, as Alfred told his life story and Arthur listened with respect and curiosity. Alfred was born in Buffalo, NY, to parents George and Martha. He was one in a set of twins, his brother’s name was Matthew. His father and brother were amazing people, one a general in the army and the other a florist, however both died in a car crash going from Washington DC back home. Alfred explained how his mother was English herself, and after her husband and son died she decided to move back to England. Up until this point, everything was working out fine, until Martha fell terribly ill. Alfred dropped everything to help his mother, since she is the only family he has left.

“Since my mom is sick, it costs a lot of money to treat her. I’ve picked up two jobs to help pay for her medicine, after I’m done gardening here at noon, I have about two hours to get home and get ready for my job as a waiter. However, if I get my work done before noon, I can go home early. The faster I get done, the more time I have to spend helping my mom.”

Arthur was touched, never had he heard of someone working for such a noble cause. He had to learn more about him.

“What about your studies? You look rather young, so you can’t say you weren’t in college. You said you dropped everything, does that include your education?”

Alfred shook his head. “No sir, even though I did stop going to my college campus I am still taking online classes. I’m studying to become an architect.”

“How old did you say you were?”

“I’m nineteen sir, but my birthday is coming up, so I’ll be twenty soon.”

“That sounds very nice, when is your birthday?”

“July fourth sir.”

After that, they sat in awkward silence for what seemed to be forever. Alfred didn’t speak out of fear for his job, since he had been taught to not speak to his superiors without permission. Arthur didn’t speak because he genuinely didn’t know what to say, for Alfred practically poured out his heart and soul to him. Arthur couldn’t imagine losing Allistor, so the idea of losing two loved ones made Arthur want to make Alfred forget every sorrow, every bit of pain. But how?

“Alright Alfred, since I’m not really the head of the household you don’t have to call me ‘sir’, I would much prefer it if you called me by my actual name ‘Arthur’. Alright? You can go back to work now.”

“Alright si- I mean, Arthur.”

Calling his boss ‘Arthur’ was a strange feeling, but it seemed to put them both on a more personal level. _“I wonder if after a while we can become friends, ~~he is kinda cute.~~ ”_ Alfred thought.

As Alfred stood and walked away from the table to retrieve the remaining two potted plants, Arthur trailed behind curiously. As Alfred heaved both pots onto his shoulders, Arthur watched him, taken aback by his absolute brute strength. These pots were not small, they were about two feet tall and three feet wide, and both were packed to the brim with soil. Alfred walked the cobblestone road with Arthur trailing behind him, until they both reached the doorstep of the house. Alfred then proceeded to make preparations to plant the prickly aloe vera.

“Why plant that? It isn’t exquisite compared the other flowers in my family’s garden.”

“Yes, but it is extremely useful. Would you like to learn how to plant it? It’s relatively easy.”

“My father would never allow me to do such dirty work.”

“Well you said your father is gone, right? He doesn’t have to know!” 

A small smile grew on Arthur's face as he saw the enthusiasm in the American's eyes. “I guess you’re right.”

For the next few hours Alfred was teaching Arthur the basics of planting, from the process of digging a hole big enough to handling the roots correctly to properly taking care of the aloe vera. Arthur was an eager student, asking an absurd amount of questions and lapping up all the information with abundant fervor. As Alfred explained the uses of aloe vera, Arthur couldn’t help but smile. He had no idea how _fun_ gardening could be, considering he had always been taught that it was commoners work. However, being in the dirt alone with Alfred tending to these plants made him feel alive, relaxed, cheerful, so many emotions that he hadn’t felt in years.

Alfred was having a wonderful time as well, spreading his knowledge of planting to someone that seemed extremely interesting and ~~_pretty damn cute_~~.

“Alfred, it's noontime.”

Shit, was is? Alfred looked at his watch, and sure enough it was twelve o’clock on the dot.

“Finally! Mom’s probably asleep, but her new treatment started yesterday and I need to see if she’s ok. Thank you for, um, not firing me and helping me with the aloe. I hope you find good use for it!”

As Arthur and Alfred stood up, Alfred held out his hand to shake Arthur’s, a broad and pure smile spread from ear to ear. Arthur couldn’t help but grin at this, as he took Alfred’s hand and responded “Of course, with any luck I can help you plant some more tomorrow.”

Alfred’s smile only grew. “Of course! Tomorrow I plan to plant marigolds, those are especially pretty during this time of year. Well, I’ll see you later!” With that, Alfred made a mad dash to his car, eager to go home and see how his mother is faring.

Arthur made his way back to his room, realizing that he hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. _“Oh well”_ he thought _“It was definitely worth it”_


	2. Dreams to Come

That evening, Arthur got a voice message from Allistor saying that he would come to visit within the next few weeks. Holding in the urge to dance with joy, Arthur simply finished his meal alone and made his way to his bedroom. His room was placed on the second floor, with a balcony that held a lovely view of the garden courtyard. From his perch he could see every corner of the lush enclosure, and it was one of his favorite places to go at night as a child. Before Allistor had left to follow his dreams as a musician and moved to Scotland, he made sure to set up a multitude of fairy lights in the garden and illuminated the place every night. This feat never failed to bring wonder to the child’s eyes, and as Arthur looked down upon his wonderland today, it seemed to look almost as whimsical as way back then.

Nonetheless, the stars began to brighten the dimming horizon, and as Arthur was lulled into unconsciousness, the ring of Allistor’s voice in his head sparked a reoccurring dream Arthur often had.

Ah yes. That wonderful, blissful dream.

 

 

 

Arthur’s imagination was like a wonderland, and in sleep, from that imagination blossomed a landscape of rolling hills and breathtaking scenery around him. In his immediate surroundings, he was in a place much like his home garden, but calmer and fairy-tale like. Willow trees began to enclose the area into a circle, and surpluses of vibrant flowers came to life at Arthur’s feet. His pajamas started to glow and were transformed into elaborate, ornate robes that hugged his body in the most comfortable way. In the center of this paradise was a golden grand piano, one that looked like it was stolen straight from the palace of Versailles. The grass was greener than his own eyes, almost as plush as his bed sheets.

As Arthur took in the oh so familiar setting, right on cue Allistor took his spot in front of the piano and began to play. Allistor typically played the most wonderful original songs, but as his hands danced on the giant instrument, something felt off. Arthur had been here a million times before, and although it never seemed to bore him, something was different about it this time around.

To begin with, for some odd reason his usual green robe was now a light blue, with abnormally elaborate golden embellishments. _“Why this shade, of all blues?”_ Arthur had no idea. All the fairies that would typically surround him were now snatching collections of flowers and dropping them off underneath the largest willow, giggling and whispering to each other as they feverishly rushed to bring a multitude of baby’s breath, carnations, daisies, and dandelions to the tree. Curiosity bubbling over inside him, Arthur made his way over to the tree and pulled the moss out of his way, his feet stopping abruptly in place when he saw who was there.

Sitting before him was Alfred, his concentrated gaze locked onto an elaborate flower crown he had been weaving with impressive skill. He was wrapped in the exact same robes as Arthur, but these were a deep shade of jade- darker than the grass underneath him, but completely matching Arthur’s eyes. As he finished the crown he looked up at Arthur, a sweet smile growing on his face.

“Hello, I’ve been waiting for you. Come, sit down.”

Alfred patted the grass next to him, and as Arthur cautiously walked over to sit next to him, a slight look of worry grew on his face.

“Is everything alright?”

“Ah- of course. I just- I-“

It was difficult for Arthur to come to grips with what this could’ve meant. After all, this place had been his personal utopia ever since he was fourteen, and nobody had ever intruded so bluntly before.

 _“Why is he here? Why is HE here, of all people_ _?  Surely I can’t be enamored by him already, I’ve just met the man! Maybe if I just ask him to leave or think hard enough he’ll-“_

Arthur’s rapid thoughts were silenced when he felt something being placed on his head, every effort being made not to disturb him.

_The flower crown_

Alfred cupped Arthur’s face and looked him, his calming expression and blue topaz eyes were a dangerous combination for the Brit. Arthur couldn't help but melt in his hands, forgetting everything around him that wasn't Alfred. All he could see was Alfred, and whether he admitted it to himself or not, that’s all he wanted to see.

“Listen, if I’m here, I must be here for a reason, right? Just unwind, focus on the melody, and enjoy your stay.”

Arthur nodded dumbly at him, soon after cautiously shifting to lay his head in the crook of Alfred’s neck and allowing the mirage to take his hand. He leaned in a position that would place all of his weight against Alfred, as he laid back and listened to the resplendent songs coming from the grand piano in the center of his fairytale. He closed his eyes, finally at ease, and gifted himself the pleasure of relishing in Alfred’s (albeit imaginary) attention.

_“I wonder if this is what love at first sight feels like”_

As the night passed and Arthur drifted in this land he had created, he felt his face grow warm and his eyes squint, as Alfred’s image blurred and the music faded into what became his ceiling and the sound of robins singing their routine morning melodies.

It was morning again, and right on time, too. The gardener had just started his shift.

 

* * *

 

 

That morning, Arthur was practically running out the door to begin his second day of gardening. He had learned from his mistakes, refusing his servant’s help and dressing himself in the rattiest, most worn clothes in his wardrobe. He didn’t neglect his hygiene however, brushing his teeth and applying a generous amount of deodorant before making his way down the stairs and into the garden. Next to the door there were dozens of potted marigolds, standing proud and tall like balls of fire settling on their thin stalks. Arthur spotted the American hard at work by the end of the forest path, relatively close to the mansion-to-wilderness border. As he enthusiastically trod towards him, Alfred was too absorbed in his digging to notice the approaching Englishman.

A downright devilish smile found itself upon Arthur’s lips as he slowed his pace from a walk to a slow tiptoe. _“This must be a habit of his, I have to take advantage of it”_

Arthur snuck up behind Alfred, and within seconds he was positioned directly within the innocent landscaper’s blind spot. When he was close enough, he grabbed the man’s shoulders and let out a piercing scream that would have probably made the maids keel over if they weren’t so far away.

Alfred’s instantaneous reaction was screaming in response and flailing his arms, releasing his tools into the air and having them land into the wild bushes in front of him.

“Holy shit- Arthur!!” as he looked up at his attacker, the Briton had a haughty smirk plastered on his face that was a blend of sheer gratification and the urge to hold back from laughing into oblivion. The look on Alfred’s face was a mix of confusion and disbelief, since he had done nothing to agitate the latter in any way.

_Oh, so he’s going to play this game? Well get ready Arthur, this means war.”_

Arthur couldn’t help but tease. “So, what exactly are we doing today, mister marigold?”

“Well, if you must know, I’m going to be lining each side of every stone trail with marigolds. That was the project given to me by I’m assuming you mother.”

“You’re going to be lining _each_ side of _every_ walkway? But all the walkways are about seventeen meters on each side!”

“Well, it’s what I’m being paid to do, are you going to help or not?”

_~~“Of course, anything to see that spectacular body sweating in a tight t-shirts and some short shorts”~~ _

Arthur nodded and finally sat down next to Alfred, as he explained the unique structure of the marigolds and the fact that some can grow up to five feet, whatever that meant in meters, and that it was crucial to space the tall ones two to three feet apart.

It was quite remarkable that Alfred knew this much about planting, and Alfred delight in sharing his knowledge of horticulture to others. After all, it was something that he honestly enjoyed and never failed to remind him of…

“Hey, Alfred, is this hole too shallow? Will the roots be able to spread out far enough in this?”

“No, it’s deep enough, just not wide enough, try using the shovel like this-“

Alfred took Arthur’s hand in his, guiding the shovel along the walls of the hole and creating a larger one in its place.

Alfred’s heart skipped a beat, since even though it was common for him to be blunt with his flirting, he had never found someone he found as attractive or interesting as Arthur.

Arthur as well was surprised by his choice of actions, as his cheeks began to turn rosy and his palms started sweating, they had successfully created a place to set the first marigold.

“Alright! Now before planting these, once you take it out of the temporary pot you have to lightly shake out the soil underneath it, to give the roots space to reestablish their hold on the ground.”

“All right, like this?”

Arthur did precisely what Alfred said to do, and even went the extra mile as to place the plant into the ground.

“Yep! Exactly like that. Are you ready to do that a bunch more times for the next few hours?”

Although it was completely against everything his father told him, he happily agreed to continue planting for the rest of the day, and by the time lunch rolled around they both had successfully planted an entire path on each side. Marigolds speckled along the walkway in just the right places to be charming and bold, but not too overpowering. As they took a step back, Alfred’s stomach made a noise similar to that of a rolling thunder storm.

Arthur found amusement in this, considering he had forgotten to eat that morning but still didn’t have an appetite quite as large as Alfred’s. “Shall we eat, then? I can have something made for us, anything you like.”

Alfred gave it a quick thought. “I’m thinking something light, maybe like a salad with some meat in it?”

“Alright, salad with ham and green apples it is.”

As Arthur presented his order to the butler to give to the cook, the servant couldn’t help but notice an appearance on his employer that he hadn’t realized was there before. Dirt smudged on his face, a worn V-neck and pair or shorter trousers that were now soiled, and an unmistakable smile that almost scared him into submission. Once he had received his orders, he swiftly gave the cook his orders and made his way to the telephone. He proceeded to dial a number that he was told by the head lady to only use in emergency scenarios.

“ _Oui_ , Francis Bonnefoy speaking.”

“Yes sir, this is the head of staff at the Kirkland house. It appears that our youngest master, Arthur, has changed his demeanor in a way that is concerning and frightening. I was wondering if you would know the cause of this.”

“Oh no sir, but if our poor Arthur isn’t feeling well, then it is up to his friends to make him feel better, non?”

“Of course, but we do not want you to go out of your way sir.”

“But of course it is no problem! Arthur loves it when I visit, and I will invite Kiku to come with me as well. If Arthur needs his friends to aid him through whatever he is going through, he should at least have all of them.”

Francis laughed at his own joke more enthusiastically than it deserved, but immediately brushed it off.

“Give us a week’s time, I promise we will be over there to help Arthur in whatever mess he’s gotten himself into this time. Thank you for calling, _au revoir_.”

 

* * *

 

 

Alfred and Arthur decided to take refuge under the gazebo once again, finishing their meals with enough time to tell each other a bit more about themselves. Alfred was a sports star back in his hometown, the best baseball player New York had ever seen. Arthur was never one for sports, but his love for books led him on a twenty minute rant about Snape’s character flaws and the unnecessary defense he usually receives from overbearing fans.

It seemed as though no time passed when Alfred’s watch beeped to mark the hour, and as he collected his things and scarfed down the last of his meal, Arthur stopped him.

“I would like to thank you for putting up with me and my sudden interest in horticulture. I genuinely hope I don’t get in the way, but you have shown me what fun this can be, and I can’t wait to finish this project with you.”

Alfred began to radiate pure happiness. “Yeah, yeah of course! Gardening is easy for me, so it’s easy to teach others, and I’m glad you like it! I have to go home to my mom now, so thanks again for the meal and the, well, job. I’ll see you tomorrow!” and with that, Alfred was already halfway to his car, excited to tell his mother about his day.

Arthur’s smile stayed settled on his face, not wanting to move in the slightest bit.

“Take care.”

 

* * *

 

 

That night before bed, Arthur was gazing upon his garden from his balcony once again, only to hear the croak of multiple frogs from down below.

“Oh wonderful, my favorite thing. Disgusting, slimy frogs invading my garden. I hope they don’t damage anything.”

If only he knew it was a foreshadowing of the future to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter everyone! Thank you for all the support, I encourage comments so I know where to improve and what is expected of me. ~Things are definitely getting more interesting for these boys~


	3. Roses of the Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three, and it's a long one! a lot of progression in this one, hopefully you'll enjoy it.

 Alfred awoke to the sound of his alarm blaring in his ears, nagging at him to get up and begin his day. With a groan he halfheartedly heaved his massive body out of bed, and began making his way to his mother’s room.

He slowly opened the door to peek inside, only to find his mother lightly snoring and asleep. Seeing his mom somewhat healthy and at peace is what made all of this worth it. The late nights, the grueling work hours, anything was better than watching his mother slowly die.

After he silently closed the door, allowing his mother a few more minutes of peace, he began cooking breakfast. The flat they shared was a cramped, a two bedroom two bath place with a small kitchen and dining room that acted as one. Alfred usually didn’t complain about the tight space, but he never saw why in the empire that supposedly the sun never set on couldn’t come up with better housing than side-by-side apartments.

As he was cooking scrambled eggs and prepared his mother’s daily vitamins, two small frail hands grabbed and squeezed Alfred’s shoulders.

“Boo! Did I scare you?!”

Alfred couldn’t help but smile, and began adding cheese to the eggs. “Yes mom, you’re absolutely terrifying. Especially with that bed head.”

That earned him a quick smack on the back of his head. “Like you’re one to talk, mister!”

This had always been the type of relationship Alfred and his mother shared. Although she was English born, the American spirit captured her and kept an exceptionally strong hold. She was as bubbly and out-spoken as any average Yankee, and the fact that she had married a spirited American patriot only propelled that personality further. Although Martha held both of her sons very dear to her heart, Alfred’s loud “hero” attitude seemed to compliment her bubbly-Brit personality better than Matthew’s quiet demeanor.

Regardless, she treasured both of her children with most amount of love a mother could give, and she valued every day with them as if it would be her last. While looking at her teddy bear of a son, she couldn’t help but remember the good times, when he was younger and their family was complete.

 

* * *

 

 

Just like every night before bed, Martha began to read the boys stories about fantastically courageous knights in shining armor, and of their adventures around the world. As they listened closely on their mother’s lap, Matthew and Alfred were always captivated with the idea of helping others. They would typically share their ideas with their mother, always searching for something to connect their valiant goals with their eventual future.

“Mamma, mamma! When I grow up, I’m going to be everyone’s hero! Saving people from evil by growing big and strong!” Alfred exclaimed while flexing his muscles.

With a smile on her face, Maratha plants a kiss to her son’s cheek. “Why of course, you will be the strongest of us all.”

Alfred gave his mother a sloppy kiss on her cheek in return, and turned to look at his brother. “What about you Mattie?!”

Matthew was a shy boy, not as loud as his twin but unquestionably as imaginative and intelligent. His goals were always to help others in minimalistic ways, whereas his brother’s motto seemed to be ‘go big or go home’

“Well, I think I’ll just try to put a smile on people’s faces, instead of being a person that punches and kicks people. Is that ok mamma?”

“Of course my dear, you don’t have to be powerful to save people. In fact, many people say that a smile can make their whole day.”

Upon hearing his mother’s supportive reply, Matthew’s shy smile grew as he buried his face into his stuffed bear. Spotting this, Alfred almost jumped from his mother’s lap with glee.

“Mattie! I know how you can make everyone smile!”

Matthew looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“You can be my sidekick!”

“Sidekick?”

“Yeah! Once I’m done beating up the bad guys, you can kiss the people the bad guys hurt and make them feel better! Just like momma does with us when we get boo-boos!”

With that statement Martha hugged her boys with all of her might, overwhelmed with happiness over the wholesomeness of her sons, and how apparent it is that the care for one another.

“Alright alright, I think it’s time for bed for you two.”

They could’ve moaned and groaned as much as they could, but in the end they knew their mother was going to win this fight. They reluctantly crawled off of their mother’s lap and on their respective beds, Alfred’s bundling under his Superman covers and Matthew collecting his beloved toy bear beneath his Wolverine sheets.

Martha walked to Alfred and Matthew, giving them both goodnight hugs and kisses before turning off their light.

“Goodnight boys.”

“Wait! Daddy has to tell us goodnight!”

“Of course, love. George, Dear!” she called from the doorway “Your presence is needed!”

“I’ll be there in a second!” bellowed a voice from the kitchen. If there was anything Martha’s husband liked about her, it was her cream of peanut soup, which she had conveniently left in the fridge for him to discover.

Alfred and Matthew’s eyes lit up as their father popped his head into the room, and when he began his routine hugs and kisses, Matthew piped up from behind his sheets.

“Daddy, you’re not leaving for another long business trip again are you?”

George could only smile and hold his son tighter. “No Matthew, I’m not signed up for another trip for a while. I promise tomorrow I will spend the day with both of you, in fact I think we can go to the movies tomorrow and see that new superhero movie that’s out. Does that sound good?”

With a resounding “YES!” exclaimed from both of his sons, George said his goodnights and closed the door behind him, allowing the boys to chat in private.

“Hey, Mattie?”

“Yea?”

“I don’t think I like girls.”

“Huh?”

“Well you know how heroes usually go and save the girl from danger?”

“Yea?”

“Well I don’t really want to save any girls or get married to them. I wanna get married to a boy.”

“You can’t get married, Alfie. You’re only seven.”

“I know, I didn’t mean now, but I mean later maybe.”

“Alright, as long as I’m invited to the wedding.”

 “Of course! You’ll be my maid of honor like aunt Elizabeth was at momma and daddy’s wedding!”

“I can’t wait, but me and mister kumajiro are tired Alfie. I’m going to sleep, goodnight.”

“Goodnight Mattie!”

As the boys began to doze off, Alfred dreamed of what his future husband would look like. Tall? Short? Black hair? Blonde hair? It didn’t matter to Alfred, as long as he was nice and had his family by his side, he was sure to be happy with whomever he’d meet.

 

* * *

 

 

Alfred arrived to work a half an hour early, determined to finish the marigold project. Since today was Alfred’s day of from his restaurant job, he had all day to finish that damn project and get it over with. Even though it had been six days since they had started the job, Arthur was constantly being sidetracked by side projects and little things around the garden that he felt needed to be fixed.

“We need to cut all the dead roses around the gazebo, and even the live ones too so we may replace them. Instead of a red, I was thinking perhaps white and blue, could we do that?”

“This entire garden needs to be weeded! Since Antonio left weeds and wildflowers have been sprouting like they own the damn place, and we need to get rid of them. ALL of them.”

“You see that section over there? I found these flowers online and I want to replace these with those. Could you run to the store and grab them? Bluebells, I believe they are called.”

“Can we build a shed somewhere? I don’t like seeing tools crammed in your pockets or on that ridiculous belt, so I feel as though we need a proper place to store them. And while we are on the topic, that belt…”

It was never ending with his complaints and “improvement” ideas, and if it were anyone else they would have been pushing Alfred to the point of insanity. Surprisingly, Alfred saw it as a joy to run errands for him, and have Arthur aid him with his gardening. They worked together as a team, even when Arthur took over and had Alfred do most of the heavy lifting. Plus the garden looked more vibrant and effervescent than ever, and it was all thanks to Alfred and his foreknowledge of flowers and fertilizers.

Once he had started working that morning, he went straight for the last path without marigolds. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Arthur on his balcony, watching his every move. Alfred acted oblivious and continued with his work, determined to get it done _today._

Although Alfred could resist Arthur, Arthur’s situation was a completely different story. He was unquestionably enchanted with the American, always wanting to know more about him and excited to have him share his knowledge of flowers.

After watching for a few minutes, Arthur began to dive in, putting on one of his newly dubbed “garden outfits” and walking over towards the courtyard. Arthur had gone shopping after the first few days, knowing his one grimy outfit wouldn’t cut it. He bought an entirely separate wardrobe for gardening that he knew would become ruined within a week, because whatever days he wasn’t reading he was buried up to his neck in dirt and flora.

Grabbing a hand shovel and sitting next to Alfred, he began working on his own separate hole with the same amount of focus as Alfred, but not the same amount of maturity. Within two minutes he was flicking dirt in the American’s face, his attempt at being playful and flirtatious. Alfred responded by flicking some soil back, only twice as much and twice as hard.

What started as an innocent back-and-forth dirt banter turn into an all-out war, with handfuls of dirt being flung and shovel-fulls of soil being hurled in retaliation. In the midst of their fight, what the boys didn’t realize was that they were shimmying up the cobblestone path, creating perfectly wide and deep holes for the marigolds, ultimately saving them time. Although, it was difficult to see what you were doing when soil smudged up your glasses to where even your shirt couldn’t clean them.

They hadn’t noticed how much dirt they flung until they reached the end of the walkway, an almost perfect ditch that started from one end and stopped at the other. Perfect for planting the marigolds.

“So, are we actually going to plant these things or are we just going to continue dicking around?”

“Oh I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you over the enormous amount of dirt in my ear.”              

Alfred took his snarky remark as a yes, and began planting the marigolds as if he had been placed on an assembly line: fast, easy, and efficient. Arthur followed shortly after, going at a slower pace but still working diligently enough to finish the project within the hour.

Once they were finished, they both took a step back to really get an idea of what the garden looked like, and they were impressed. Although, it seemed Arthur had a better idea.

“I don’t think I’ve shown you around the manor yet, have I?”

Alfred responded by shaking his head, pondering over where this new shed Arthur was talking about would go.

“Well, I feel as though the view from my room would be the best, but at the same time you’ve been working here for over a week and you haven’t seen the house yet. You wouldn’t mind a tour of my home, would you?”

Alfred took this opportunity to get a closer look on the size of the mansion. It was huge alright, and the inside was probably more magnificent than the outside. Customarily he would’ve declined, but he felt like it would be rude if he said no. So he agreed, and still donned in their filthy gardener’s clothes the two made their way inside the house through the courtyard door.

The first sight Alfred had when he entered the house was of the long hallway in front of him, the wall decorated with family portraits and extravagant paintings. Elaborate chandeliers dotted the tall ceiling, producing more than enough light that was already supplied by windows stretching from the ground to the ceiling. To his right were what seemed to be entryways to more rooms, and at the end of the hall an open space that opened up, assumed to be the dining hall. Next to the dining hall was a granite spiral staircase that wound above ground and below, the help assumed to go underground and the upper floor most likely reserved for the aristocratic family and friends.

Alfred was awestruck, growing up in the average middle-class family meant never going to places as fancy as this.

_“Even the country club dad used to bring me and Mattie to doesn't compare to this.”_

“Are we ready to begin?” Arthur noticed Alfred’s’ dropped jaw, but he had no idea how truly impressed Alfred was.

Alfred nodded dumbly, and Arthur began walking slowly and explaining the rooms as they passed by each door and poked their head in. First a guest bedroom with a view of the garden, then an office room, after that a smaller version of their library in the guest house, and finally the last guest bedroom on the bottom floor. To the right of the stairs was not the entrance to a dining hall, but to the grand ballroom that _doubled_ as a dining room. The room was extremely ornate and lavish, with a long table at the end of the room decorated with the flowers of the garden. Light spilled into the ballroom from the glass ceiling, which at night would showcase the stars in the most magnificent way. A black grand piano sat in the center of the room, dusty and untouched.

Alfred found it difficult to compliment a place that was so obviously glorious. “Wow, I mean, when it comes to interior design, I guess that’s where your family’s talent lies. I think you’ll be great at it.”

At those words Arthur’s head dropped and his face contorted into what seemed like a mix of contempt and bitterness.

“Ah yes, that’s all I’m apparently good for.” Arthur replied coldly, folding his arms.

_“Oh crap, did I offend him in some way?”_

Arthur noticed the concerned look in Alfred’s eyes and grew soft.

“I’m sorry it seemed like I lashed out, I don’t necessarily enjoy interior design.”

At this point Alfred felt like he was walking around broken glass. “What do you mean?”

“Well, all of my older siblings have sought out careers that had nothing to do with the family business, so naturally my father expects me to inherit all of it. I’ve been taught the world of big business and interior design ever since all of my brothers made it apparent that they had no interest in those types of affairs. It seems like only my brothers can have careers they enjoy.”

“I’d say just do what makes you happy, but it’s none of my business. I’m sorry I brought it up.” A whole new train of thought took over in Alfred’s mind, and once it got started, there was almost no stopping the water works. All he had to do was push it out of his head and-

“Oh, by the way, I don’t think I ever asked you about where you learned your skills in the garden. I was wondering, since you seem like you know your way around a garden.”

Damn, and he was so close too.

Alfred took a deep breath, trying to contain his composure, and began his explanation.

“Well, ya know how my brother owned a flower shop? He taught me all about flowers. I never really listened, but after he died I did whatever I could to keep his business afloat. I ended up losing it after a year, and I try to apply whatever gardening info I learned to what I do here. In his memory, ya know? So I’ll never forget his skill and maybe someday re open his store. He loved his store, and every customer that set foot in it. So I’m determined to keep that memory alive.”

Alfred was starting to get choked up, and as tears began to swell in his eyes, Arthur did the unthinkable and pulled him in for a hug. He wrapped his arms around the American and held him tight, not being able to relate but knowing what it feels like to hold a brother very close. It was the best Arthur could do, since his words never seemed to come out right in any situation.

Alfred was initially taken aback, but hugged back with ten times as much force as Arthur. He held back his tears in an attempt to keep his macho figure intact, but it wouldn’t last long. He hadn’t felt a more comforting touch in weeks, since all of his friends lived in the states and his mother was in bed almost 24/7.

As they embraced, neither of them were willing to let go of the other. They could’ve stood there forever, if they weren’t interrupted by the laughs of a certain Frenchman.

“Well well well, what do we have here?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooo, I wonder who that could be~


	4. Every Rose has its Thorns

The moment they were caught embracing, Arthur practically threw himself out of Alfred’s arms in an obvious panic. Alfred had no idea who these two men were, but it was evident that they were blue-bloods. The Frenchman was wearing an outfit that looked as though it was straight out of vogue magazine, while the Japanese was wearing one of the most ornate kimonos he had ever seen.

Silence filled the room as Francis looked at the duo with a mix of confusion and disgust. Both were covered in dirt, reeked of the outdoors, and were wearing such worn and filthy clothes that Francis almost didn’t recognize his childhood friend.

“Arthur, what the hell is wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong with me!?” the Englishman spat. “What the hell is wrong with you? Coming to my house uninvited, then barging in?? Who let you in!?”

Although Alfred wasn’t the best at reading the atmosphere, this one was as clear as day. His instincts told him he needed to get out, and he needed to get out _now_.

Fumbling with his words and his limbs, he struggled to simultaneously talk and make a beeline for the door behind the two aristocrats.

“Um well, today was, uh, pretty fun Arthur! Well you know my mom, she, uh, probably needs my help around the house and with her medicine, yeah? So I’ll just see you lat-“

He was abruptly cut off by a swift punch in the face, along with a body launching itself on top of his own, hauling him to the ground.

“Oh no you don’t! If you think you can get away with taking advantage of us, you have another thing coming!”

Alfred at this point was exhausted from work, so putting up a fight was much more difficult than it should’ve been. He was forced to lie there, pinned underneath a screaming male Rapunzel, completely flabbergasted.

“Francis! What the hell?!” Arthur was paralyzed in place.

 “Take advantage? Who the hell are you?! What are you even talking about?!” Alfred what absolutely dumbfounded, making his best effort to wriggle out of the grip of the fuming Frenchman.

“Oh don’t play dumb, I know exactly your type. You’ll swoop in, steal his heart, and then shatter it when you steal his money! Then you’ll kill him for his life insurance policy, or to gain whatever is in his will! I know how commoners think!”

Kiku finally decided to step in and attempt to pull his fuming friend from the large stranger, grabbing Francis by the waist and yanking him off of the American, dragging him away.

“Francis, please calm down! This is no way to treat strangers, Francis please!”

When Francis was finally heaved off of Alfred, Arthur took the initiative to kneel beside him and made a protective stance. He knew exactly what Francis was talking about, and he wasn’t about to have Francis misconstrued his views on Alfred based upon _that incident._

“Alfred, are you alright?”

Although he was a bit disoriented, Alfred found the strength to stand up, with Arthur’s help of course. Francis was standing as well, his eyes locked on Alfred, giving him a look Arthur had come to associate with a ticking time bomb. He knew he had to break the cold stillness in the air, but what to say?

Alfred decided to speak up for him. “What the fuck just happened?”

Francis decided to ignore Alfred and directed his attention to his friend. “Arthur, how could you let this filthy brute into your home?”

“Filth?! Brute?! I’ll have you know that he not only works for me, but I also consider him a friend of mine.”

“Friend? You? That’s amusing, considering besides us two you have absolutely zero friends. Even the classmates at your university avoid you!”

“That doesn’t excuse you from attacking him! And it’s true, we’ve become close friends!”

“Friend? He is no friend of our kind! Arthur it is obvious he is trying to take advantage you! Just look at him, rough hands, beaten clothes, he would use you in a heartbeat!”

“Enough! All of you!” Kiku suddenly shouted from the back of the room.

The two aristocrats were taken aback by their usually passive friend projecting such an assertive voice. As all the men made their way to their feet, Kiku calmly walked to the center of the room while shooting disapproving glances to both Arthur and Francis.

“I believe we all deserve a chance to start over, right? Arthur, could you please prepare a tea room so we may discuss this like civilized adults?”

Nodding in agreement, Francis took another look at the Brit.

“I agree, and while you’re at it Arthur, you should probably clean yourself a bit. You have a little dirt on your…well, everywhere.”

Dusting himself off, Arthur walked out the door calling for a maid. The three were now left alone.

An uneasy muteness grew as the trio stood alone, and it only worsened when all three were directed to a readied sitting room. As they sat together waiting for Arthur, the unease and tension in the room sat like a stone on. Kiku decided to break the quiet with a question of his own.

“So, Alfred, are you gay as well?”

 

* * *

 

The sounds of laughter and merriment could be heard all throughout the manor. Once they all sat down and began explaining themselves, the boys got a pretty good laugh out of the utter ridiculousness and confusion of the situation.

They all seemed to have more in common than expected, and clicked very well together.

“Sorry about attacking you earlier before my mon ami, I was not in my usual state of mind.”

“Oh no dude it’s alright, I understand. I mean, I’d get a bit defensive too if some huge stranger was hugging my tiny childhood friend.”

That earned him a kick under the table.

“I am not that short!”

Kiku began to chuckle. “Well, you are a bit shorter than the average Englishman, right?”

“Oh like you’re one to talk, you’re ten centimeters shorter than me!”

As the trio mercilessly teased the Brit, Alfred’s cell phone suddenly began to ring. It was his mother.

“Ah sorry guys, I have to take this.”

He excused himself from the table, and immediately after the door closed behind him, Kiku began to squeal.

“Well Arthur, he seems like a keeper! Tall, handsome, and American. You said you had a thing for American boys way back when, remember? Also, if I remember correctly, you said something like ‘A gentleman prefers blondes’, correct?”

Taken aback, Arthur failed to hide the embarrassment in his voice and in the redness of his cheeks.

“It’s not like that, I swear! He’s just shown me how to tend to my garden and enjoy myself for once in this god awful manor!”

“Oh yes, is that why you were covered in filth when we arrived? Ugh, mon amour, don’t you know that is work meant for the lower class? If my mother saw me covered in dirt I wouldn’t be able to leave the bathhouse for a week.”

“Well, I enjoy being a direct part of the garden that gave me such joy as a child, and I’ve learnt so much about horticulture that it’s ridiculous. I find peace in working in the garden, a peace I have yet to find in studying business for my father. And would you stop calling me that? It’s bloody obnoxious.”

“Oh yes, Kiku and I both have fallen victim to your rants. ‘My father’ this and ‘my mother’ that. Nobody said we had a choice in our future careers either, you know. It’s our job to carry on the family legacy.”

“Well you two never had a choice in the matter since you both lack siblings, but my predicament is a whole different story! All four of my brothers decided not to follow in father’s footsteps, and they’re all pretty damn happy!”

The blood in his veins began to boil at the thought of his brothers, _those god damn traitors!_

“They’ve all screwed me over, leaving the family business on my shoulders and father’s immense pressure focused on me! I hate them! I hate every single one of them!”

“Even Allistor?” Francis inquired.

That hit him hard. Arthur loved his eldest brother dearly, so his rant blaming his brothers for his misery would also be pointing the finger at his beloved brother. He sank in his chair.

“Allistor was intended to be the family successor, but I can’t fault him for not knowing that Dylan would have no interest in the business, or even Alroy and Ardan. I just don’t understand what I did to deserve being miserable for the rest of my life. Or I guess, what _we_ did.”

The room was still and soundless, as the boys realized even more at that moment their damned fate. None of them had the luxury to find what they were passionate about and make a career out of it, they were always at the will of their parents. The thought was depressing, but the reality of it was even more upsetting.

The silence was finally broken when Alfred re-entered the room.

“Sorry for that guys, but I’m going to have to go. My mom isn’t feeling too well since she started a new medicine this morning, so I have to go take care of her. It was nice meeting you two, thanks for the tea Arthur!”

Kiku got up out of his chair and approached Alfred, shaking his hand. “Goodbye Alfred, it was nice to meet you.”

Francis quickly followed. “Yes, it was a pleasure. Again, sorry for earlier.”

“Oh like I said, it’s fine! I really gotta go, but I’ll see you guys later. Bye Arthur!”

As he left the room, a maid entered immediately after him.

“The two guest bedrooms have been made, sir. The luggage from the holding room is now being moved to the bedrooms for their stay.”

“Stay? Who the hell said you two were staying here for the night?!”

“Why, we did! Our mothers have business in London anyway, and I find your manor far more comfortable than some hotel, won’t you agree Kiku?”

“Oh yes, I agree. Since our mothers are collaborating on a line together, we have been traveling together more often than not. We have had some less than pleasing experiences with hotels as of late, and the thought of staying in another isn’t very appealing. ”

Arthur sank even lower in his seat, the look on his face one of absolute discomfort. “Alright, fine. You may stay, as long as you keep me out of your fashion mumbo jumbo and leave my garden alone.”

Francis could only snicker. “Oh Arthur, just because you were rejected from every fashion school you applied to doesn’t mean you have to be bitter. Now if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to find my room.”

“Ah yes, as do I.”

Arthur sighed and pulled himself out of his chair.

“Of course. It’s at the end of the hall over here…”

 

* * *

 

 

 “Mom, you’ve barely touched your plate. The doctor said you need to eat more if you want the medicine to work faster, so come on.”

Martha just waved a hand at her son and beamed. “Oh hush Alfie, I’ll eat on my own time. Now tell me more about your day at work, have you made the moves on that Arthur boy yet?”

“Holy shit mom!” Alfred shouted, his ears and cheeks a bright pink.

“What? From what you’ve told me he sounds nice enough! Way nicer than that last boy you brought home in the states.” The edges of Martha’s lips twitched upwards into a snarky grin. “I told you British boys are better. He sounds like a real gent!”

Martha had been more accepting of her son than he had anticipated, discussing boys as if he was her daughter instead of her son. It was a joy really, to not only have such a kindhearted mother, but to also be able to discuss these things with her. It only bound them closer, if that was even possible.

“Mom I can assure you he is no gentleman. He acts like a child whenever things aren’t going his way, he complains about the littlest things, and he’s got a mouth on him that’s even worse than dads’!”

“George did have a foul mouth on him,” Martha sighed, “and I’ll never forgive him for making your first words ‘fucking jackasses.’ Anyways, just tell me about your day today. You didn’t get those scratch marks on your arms out of nowhere.”

Alfred explained the whole situation, from the assault to the strange warm feeling he got when Arthur felt the need to protect him. While he’s explaining, he stopped cold turkey when his mother let out a prolonged yawn.

“Alright ma, I think it’s time for bed with you.”

“But it’s barely seven!” she argued.

“Yeah but your medication makes you drowsy, and sleep is good for you, it makes you heal. So off to bed with you!”

He picked up his frail mother bridal style, and carried her off to her room. Martha tried to struggle, but it was true that she was tired and a bit weak. As Alfred set her bed, he planted a kiss on her head and tucked her in, and to that she can’t help but laugh.

“What?”

“Now it seems the roles are reversed. I’d do the exact same thing for you whenever you or Matthew got sick.”

Alfred rolled his eyes. “Yeah yeah mom, goodnight.” He turned off the lights and closed the door quietly, trying his best to stay silent. As he made his way down the hall, he stopped and pondered at a family picture on the wall.

It was a picture of a fourth of July barbeque, which doubled as a birthday party for the twins. Alfred laughed at how Matthew was older than Alfred by five whole minutes, right at 11:57 on July 3rd and Alfred at 12:03 on July 4th. He thought of how their birthday was coming up soon. Alfred never thought of it as his birthday, but always _their_ birthday. This year would be the first time he wouldn’t be able to set flowers on his brother and father’s graves. He was planning on planting some flowers next to his brothers’ tombstone this year.

 _“Oh well, looks like it can wait another year.”_ He thought. _“When mom is feeling better and we can make the 8 hour flight from London to Buffalo, I’ll definitely plant those mayflowers. I promise, I won’t forget ya Mattie.”_

That night he was up late with homework and projects for his online university classes, finally finishing his assignments at midnight. He flopped into bed, set his alarm for five thirty in the morning, and slept a blissful dreamless night.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first chapter of a possible fic I'm developing! I probably won't continue unless i get some positive feedback, because what's the point of writing if I can't put a smile to someone's face?


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